Drier



NQV. 5, 19350 I DRIER Filed July 3, 1933 S'SheetS-Sheet Inventor N: -sk rjsse J. i b wlr L fizim llomey Nov. 5, 1935. J J FOWLER 2,019,668

DRIER Filed July 3, 1935 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 \A i l I h L\. N

Inventor tfesse 1']. iwler New. 5, 1935. J. J. FOWLER 2,l9,668

DRIER Filed July 5, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 J. J. FOWLER Nov. 5, 1935.

DRIER Filed July 3, 1933 5 SheetsSheet 5 on U Invenior zi'esse J. Fbwler' flllorney Patented Nov. 5, 1935 UNITED STATES PATNT FIQE 3 Claims.

My invention relates generally to driers and particularly to a drier for drying and cleaning such material as cotton, cottonseed, and the like, and an important object of my invention is to provide a combination drier and cleaner of this type which will perform simultaneously the functions of a drier and of a cleaner.

It is also an important object of my invention to provide a drier of the type described which may be constructed of readily available parts of standard size and form, whereby the same may be constructed cheaply and quickly.

It is also an important object of my invention to provide in a drier of the type described gravitational and screw feed for the material to move the material while heat is being applied to the same, the temperature of the drier being adequately controlled by ventilation.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from a reading of the following description in connection with the drawings, wherein for purposes of illustration I have shown a preferred embodiment of my invention.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the front of the embodiment with the front plate removed.

Figure 2 is an elevational view of the back of the embodiment.

Figure 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional View through Figure 1, on the line 33 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view through the upper part of Figure 1 taken approximately on the line 4-4 and looking downwardly in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 5 is a perspective schematic view showing the arrangement and relation of the operative parts. 7

Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view through one of the ends of one of the conveyor troughs and its heated conveyor.

V Figure '7 is a transverse vertical sectional view through Figure 6 taken approximately on the line 1-1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is a transverse vertical sectional view through the upper part of the casing showing the arrangement of the ventilator.

Figure 9 is a transverse vertical sectional view through one of the conveyor troughs.

Referring in detail to the drawings the numeral 5 generally designates an elongated generally rectangular casing, the walls of which are supported by a frame 6 which has cross mem- 5 bers 1 braced by vertical members 8.

Supported on the cross members are vertical tiers 9, I0, I I of conveyor troughs. The tiers may be provided in any suitable number, and although five of the conveyor troughs I2 are shown in each tier a greater or a less number 5 thereof may be provided as desired.

The conveyor troughs extend the length of the casing as indicated in Figures 3 and 4 and the conveyor troughs in each tier are vertically spaced one above the other. 10

Between the tiers 9, it and I l, that is between each adjacent pair of tiers there is located an inclined transfer conveyor l3 and between another adjacent pair of the tiers another inclined transfer conveyor [4. 15

Any suitable type of screw conveyor I5 is mounted in each of the conveyor troughs l 2, each trough being closed by a flat top It and the screw shaft l'l being extended through and beyond each end wall of the trough and through the end walls 20 of the casing 5. The shaft H is tubular and perforated as indicated at E8 to disseminate a fluid heating medium into the trough for heating and drying and cleaning the cotton or cottonseed and the like in the trough. The bottom part 5 of the trough which is curved as indicated at I!) is provided with perforations 20 of a size to confine the cotton or cottonseed and the like but to permit the escape of the steam or hot airand dbris as the cotton or cottonseed or the like is 30 moved through the trough by the screw l5. These arrangements are shown clearly in Figure 9.

Each of the transfer conveyors comprises a suitable trough or casing 2i having therein a 35 standard type of conveyor screw 22 mounted on a perforated tubular shaft 23 as shown in Figure 3. It will be observed that the trough 2| is provided with perforations 24 to permit the escape of the heating medium and debris as heretofore mentioned in regard to the conveyor troughs 52. It will be observed that the end of the trough Zl is closed by a flanged plate 25 which is bolted or otherwise secured to a head 25, the head 25 being bolted to one of the cross 45 members l already alluded to. In Figure 6 is shown the manner of conveying the heating medium to the interior of the tubular conveyor shafts not only in the case of the transfer conveyors but also in the case of the horizontal conveyors 50 l2.- It will be observed that the ends of the shafts 23 like the ends of the shafts ll is provided with a flange 2? with which is engaged a bearing member 28. A coupling 29 is threaded on the bearing 28 and has a flange which confines a 5 flanged end of a short pipe leading from the supply pipe 3!. By the described arrangement the shafts 23 and the shafts I! are free to rotate relative to the pipes 30 and yet remain in communication therewith so that the heating medium will be conveyed from the supply pipe 3| to the interior of the shafts.

Reference to Figure 2 Will disclose the three supply pipes 3! at the back of the casing 5 employed in the present embodiment, one for each of the tiers of conveyors. The upper ends of the pipes 3! are closed as indicated at 32, and the short communicating pipes 30 lead into the side of the pipes 3| at vertically spaced intervals as will be evident.

A feed pipe 33 joins the lower ends of the pipes 31, and a manifold 34 communicates with the pipes 3| and with the short communicating pipes 38 feeding the transfer conveyor shafts.

Means for driving the various conveyors from any suitable source of power comprises a belt or chain drive 35 which drives the pulley or sprocket wheel 36 mounted on the upper conveyor shaft of the left hand tier 9. Each of the conveyor shafts of the tier 9 is provided with a pair of sprocket wheels 31, 38 and a sprocket chain 39 is trained over vertically alined ones of the sprockets 31, 38 as shown in Figure 3, As appears in Figures 1 and 4, the uppermost shaft of each tier is connected with its neighbor for simultaneous rotation therewith by means of sprocket chains 40 and 4|. The sprocket chains 40 and 4| occupy one of the sprocket wheels 31, 38 on the individual shafts ll. By this arrangement each of the conveyors of each tier is driven at the same speed simultaneously, and each tier is driven simultaneously and at the same speed as its neighbors.

As indicated in Figures 1, 3 and 4 a sprocket chain 4| driven from an extra sprocket wheel on the uppermost conveyor shaft I! of the left hand tier operates another sprocket wheel 42 on an idler shaft 43 mounted in bearings 44, 45

secured to the outside of the left hand upper part of the casing. A beveled gear 46 is fixed on the idler shaft 43 and is meshed with another beveled gear 4! fixed outside of the casing 5 to one end of the transfer conveyor drive shaft 48. The transfer conveyor shafts 23 have each a beveled gear 24, 25 respectively which is meshed with a beveled gear 26, 2'! respectively fixed on the drive shaft 48. The drive shaft 48 is mounted in suitable bearings 49, 58 mounted on the front end of the casing framework 26 above the conveyors.

The upper ends of the transfer conveyors are supported on a cross member 5| while the lower ends thereof are supported on a lower cross member 52 as shown in Figures 1 and 3. It will be observed that the upper end of the transfer conveyor l3 has a laterally and angularly disposed chute 53 which empties into the front end of the upper one of the conveyor troughs l2 of the middle tier IQ, while the lower end of the transfer conveyor 14 is fed by a declined chute 54 connected to the rear end of the lowermost one of the conveyor troughs I2 of the left hand tier 9. By this arrangement the lowermost trough of the said tier 9 feeds the lower end of the transfer the transfer conveyor [4, and the upper end of the transfer conveyor l4 has a laterally declining chute 56 feeding the front end of the uppermost one of the. conveyor troughs of the right hand tier ll. troughs l2 of the right hand tier II has at its rearward end a delivery spout 51 adapted to convey the dried and cleaned material into bins or trucks or into receptacles.

In each of the tiers an arrangement of com- ,10 municating chutes is made as follows. A communicating chute 58 connects the rear ends of the uppermost and the next conveyor troughs,

a similar communicating chute 59 connecting the said next conveyor trough with the next lower 15 conveyor trough, and a third communicating chute 63 connects the rear end of the third trough with the rear end of a fourth trough, and a fourth communicating chute 6| connects the front end of the fourth trough with the front 20 end of the fifth lowermost one of the troughs. Keeping in mind that this arrangement obtains in each of thetiers, it will be obvious that the cotton or cottonseed and the like being fed into the front end of the uppermost left hand trough 25 will travel in the direction of the arrows in Figure 5, that is from front to rear of the uppermost trough downwardly to the rear end of the next trough forwardly then into the front end of the third trough to be carried rearwardly and 30 emptied into the end of the fourth trough to be carried forwardly and emptied into the front end of the fifth or lowermost trough and then to be carried rearwardly and emptied into the chute 54 and conveyed into the lower end of the 35 first transfer conveyor l3 and to be elevated thereby.to the chute 53 for delivery into the front end of the uppermost one of the troughs in the next tier. The same course of the material obtains through the second tier and through the 0 second transfer conveyor to and through the third tier l I to the delivery chute or spout 51.

The casing 5 entirely encloses the mechanism described and may be of sheet metal as shown in the drawings or of any suitable construction 45 such as brick or composition. The top 62 in the casing is provided with any suitable type of ventilator 63 having a damper 64 preferably of the thermostatically regulated type which will automatically open or close to adequately control the temperature within the casing and thereby control the drying temperature and preserve the condition of the material as it moves through the various conveyors. It will be obvious that adequate means will be provided to control the injection of heating medium into the various tubular shafts, including the tubular shaft of the transfer conveyor screws to bring about a proper delivery of heat to the material as it is run through the drier. 00

Although I have shown and described herein a preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be definitely understood that I do not desire to limit the application of the invention thereto, and any change or changes may be made in ma- 65 terial and structure and arrangement of parts, within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the subjoined claims,

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new is:-

1. An apparatus of the character described comprising a closed casing, tiers of vertically spaced horizontal troughs mounted within the casing, vertical chutes connecting alternating ends of said vertically spaced troughs, in each The lowermost one of the conveyor 5 tier, an angulated trough connecting the lowermost trough of one tier with the uppermost part of the neighboring tier, screws in the horizontal troughs and in the angulated troughs, drive means connecting all of the screws for simultaneous operation, a tubular shaft carrying each of the screws and perforated to dispense heating medium within the trough and within the said means, and heating fluid supply means connecting each of the shafts.

2. A grain drying and cleaning apparatus comprising a closed casing, a frame within and supporting said casing and including vertically spaced cross members, and vertical transversely spaced braces connecting some of said cross members, a plurality of horizontal troughs supported at opposite ends on said cross members, the troughs on the same cross member bein transversely spaced and the troughs on the lower cross members being vertically aligned with the troughs on the upper members so as to form tiers of vertically spaced troughs, a vertical chute connecting one end of each trough with the same end of the next lower trough, an inclined trough mounted between adjacent ones of said tiers on vertically spaced ones of said cross members, a declining chute connecting one end of the lowermost trough in one tier with the lower end of one of said inclined troughs, the uppermost trough in this tier receiving the grain to be dried and cleaned, said inclined troughs having their upper ends elevated above the uppermost troughs of the tiers, a second declining chute connecting the upper end of said inclined trough with said uppermost trough; a third declining chute connecting the lowermost trough of the second tier with the lower end of a second one of said inclined troughs, a fourth declining chute connecting the upper end of said second inclined trough with the uppermost trough of the next adjacent tier, a discharge chute on the lowermost trough of the last mentioned tier, the bottoms of said horizontal troughs being formed with holes of a size to retain the grain but permit escape of air, heat and waste matter; and a steam discharging screw conveyor in each of said plurality of horizontal troughs, and in each of said inclined troughs, and drive means connected at each of said conveyor screws for driving said screws together at approximately the same speed.

3. A grain drying and cleaning apparatus comprising a closed casing, a frame within and supporting said casing and including vertically 5 spaced cross members, and vertical transversely spaced braces connecting some of said cross members, a plurality of horizontal troughs supported at opposite ends on said cross members, the troughs on the same cross member being trans- 10 versely spaced and the troughs on the lower cross members being vertically aligned with the troughs on the upper members so as to form tiers of vertically spaced troughs, a vertical chut' connecting one end of each trough with the same 15 end of the next lower trough, an inclined trough mounted between adjacent ones of said tiers on vertically spaced ones of said cross members, a declining chute connecting one end of the lowermost trough in one tier with the lower end of 20 one of said inclined troughs, the uppermost trough in this tier receiving the grain to be dried and cleaned, said inclined troughs having their upper ends elevated above the uppermost troughs of the tiers, a second de- 25 clining chute connecting the upper end of said inclined trough with said uppermost trough;

a third declining chute connecting the lowermost trough of the second tier with the lower end of a second one of said inclined troughs, 30 a fourth declining chute connecting the upper end of said second inclined trough with the uppermost trough of the next adjacent tier, a discharge chute on the lowermost trough of the last mentioned tier, the bottoms of said horizontal 35 troughs being formed with holes of a size to retain the grain but permit escape of air, heat and. waste matter; and a steam discharging screw conveyor in each of said plurality of horizontal troughs, and in each of said inclined troughs, and to drive means connected to each of said conveyor screws for driving said screws together at ap'- proximately the same speed, said horizontal troughs having flat tops having depending flanges seated in the tops of the troughs, said 45 tops resting removably in place.

JESSE J. FOWLER. 

